REESE  LIBRARY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Class 


HINTS 


TO 


SHALL  LIBRARIES 


Brooklyn  : 

Pratt  Institute  Free  Library. 
1894- 


COPYRIGHT,  1894, 

BY 

M.  W.  PLUMMER, 
librarian  of  Pratt  Institute,  of  Brooklyn,  New  York. 


PREFACE. 


Of  DMITTING  the  wisdom  of  the  saying  that ' '  children  should 

/Jr     be  seen  and  not  heard,"  and  the  fact  that  Pratt  Institute 

/  \      Free  library  is  still  of  tender  years,  it  is  also  not  to  be 

^^denied  that  there  comes  a  time  when  even  children  must 
speak  and  abide  by  the  consequences.  The  Library  has  had  so 
many  letters  from  persons  at  a  distance,  as  well  as  many  visitors, 
asking  advice  or  suggestions  in  regard  to  the  starting  or  reor- 
ganizing of  small  libraries  or  the  best  methods  of  carrying  them 
on,  that  it  seems  best  to  put  its  suggestions  into  tangible  form. 
They  profess  to  be  no  more  than  suggestions  ;  some  of  them  the 
Library  has  tried,  others  it  has  heard  of  and  thought  reasonable. 
The  main  endeavor  throughout  these  few  chapters  has  been  to 
keep  in  mind  the  fact  that  there  are  libraries  scattered  all  over  the 
country  that  have  very  little  of  anything  but  ambition  and  good 
will  to  go  upon.  Their  stock  of  money,  labor,  and  time  is  lim- 
ited, wherefore  it  is  of  no  use  to  recommend  to  them  tools  or  pro- 
cesses that  require  much  of  these  commodities. 

The  trained  librarian  will  not  feel  the  need  of  such  a  pamphlet 
as  this,  since  he  or  she  probably  knows  of  or  could  evolve  a  system 
equally  well  or  better  adapted  to  the  circumstances,  so  the  audi- 
ence sifts  itself  down  to  small  libraries  which  have  to  consider 


4  HINTS    TO    SMAIyL    LIBRARIES. 

economy,  whose  librarians  are  not  trained  and  have  no  opportunity 
to  take  training.  And  even  for  them,  it  is  hoped  these  sugges- 
tions may  be  only  a  point  of  departure  from  which  to  continue 
their  own  investigations  in  the  field  of  library  economy. 

Thanks  are  due  and  are  sincerely  tendered  to  several  friends 
interested  in  librarianship,  who  have  kindly  read  these  chapters, 
and  whose  suggestions  have  been  gladly  received. 

To  those  other  friends  who,  individually  or  collectively,  have 
helped  to  feed  the  springs  of  interest  and  enthusiasm  in  which  this 
little  undertaking  has  had  its  origin,  thanks  are  no  less  due, 
though  their  part  in  it  can  be  less  definitely  specified.  If  there 
is  any  profession  in  which  there  is  community  of  ideas,  it  is  that 
of  librarianship,  and  from  the  common  stock  every  one  is  encour- 
aged to  take  that  which  he  can  make  of  use  to  himself  and  others. 
When  the  long-desired  A.  L,.  A.  manual  shall  appear,  no  one 
will  greet  it  more  gladly  than  the  present  writer ;  meanwhile, 
since  the  choice  is  between  a  half  loaf  and  no  bread,  she  feels 
herself  constrained  to  offer  the  former. 

PRATT  INSTITUTE,  M.  W.  P. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 

March,  1894. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

1.  RECEIVING  AND  ENTERING  BOOKS 5 

2.  BOOK-NUMBERS  AND  CATALOGUING 13 

3.  CATALOGUING 18 

4.  SHELF-LIST  AND  INVENTORY 24 

5.  MECHANICAL  PREPARATION  OF  BOOKS  FOR  THE  SHELVES  :— 

BINDING 27 

6.  RELATIONS  WITH  THE  PUBLIC: — REGISTRATION  ....  32 

7.  CHARGING  SYSTEM 35 

8.  READING-ROOM  AND  REFERENCE-ROOM  WORK  ....  42 

9.  SELECTING  AND  ORDERING  BOOKS 46 

10.  ROOMS  AND  FIXTURES 49 

11.  LIBRARY  TOOLS 52 


CH  AFTER   1. 


RECEIVING    AND    ENTERING    BOOKS. 

\  »  TE  will  suppose  that  your  books  are  already  bought,  and 
lAl  that  they  are  still  in  the  boxes. 

^  Generally  the  librarian  of  the  small  library  is  relieved 

of  the  pleasant  duty  of  selecting  books  by  his  or  her  committee, 
who  are  often  persons  of  literary  tastes,  and  who  undertake  to  do 
the  ordering.  A  chapter  on  selecting  and  ordering  will  be  given 
at  the  end  of  this  handbook,  however,  for  the  use  of  those 
librarians  to  whom  the  work  is  new,  and  who  have  the  sole 
responsibility  of  buying. 

The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  compare  your  bills  with  the  books, 
as  you  take  them  from  the  boxes,  checking  on  the  bill  every 
item  that  is  found  correct.  Errors  in  price,  or  books  sent  which 
have  to  be  returned  for  any  reason,  should  not  be  deducted  from 
the  bill,  as  this  method  would  surely  cause  discrepancies  between 
the  library's  accounts  and  the  dealer's.  Whatever  is  sent  back 
should  be  charged  to  the  dealer  in  a  small  book,  opened  for  the 
purpose,  and  a  bill  sent.  Errors  in  the  dealer's  favor  should 
also  be  charged  back  to  him  in  this  book,  and  a  memorandum 
be  sent  him. 

Some  librarians,  as  the  bills  are  checked,  enter  a  memoran- 


6  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

dum  in  pencil  in  each  book,  on  the  inside  margin  of  the  first 
page  after  the  title  page,  thus:  "5  N  92,  Sm  1-67,"  meaning, 
"billed  Nov.  5,  1892,  by  Smith,  at  i.oo,  33^  off."  This 
memorandum  is  frequently  found  useful,  and  saves  a  hunt 
through  old  bills  or  a  trip  to  the  accession-book. 

Having  taken  the  books  from  the  boxes,  checked  your  bills, 
and  compared  the  bill  or  books  with  your  order  list,  to  make  sure 
that  nothing  has  been  sent  which  was  not  ordered,  the  next 
process  is  to  arrange  the  books  according  to  a  rough  classifica- 
tion for  entering  in  the  accessions-book.  We  will  suppose  that 
your  library  is  not  to  have  more  than  5000  volumes,  nor  less 
than  1500,  for  its  start,  and  that  it  is  not  to  grow  very  fast — say, 
at  the  rate  of  not  more  than  500  volumes  per  year.  With  this 
understanding,  a  classification  under  1000  heads  would  probably 
be  enough  for  a  long  time,  and  it  is  always  possible  to  sub- 
divide your  heads  and  classify  more  closely  when  it  becomes 
necessary.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  final  classifying  be  done 
now,  provided  books  of  the  same  general  character  are  grouped 
together  before  entering,  and  even  this  is  a  mere  matter  of 
convenience,  to  help  in  finding  the  record  of  any  given  book  of 
the  original  stock,  when  the  book  itself  is  not  at  hand. 

The  following  100  heads  from  the  Dewey  classification  are 
those  which  we  recommend  for  a  very  small  library  : 

(Reprinted  from  the  Decimal  classification  by  permission  of  the  publishers,  Library 
Bureau,  146  Franklin  street,  Boston.) 

ooo        GENERAL  WORKS. 


oio  Bibliography. 

020  Library  economy. 

030  General  cyclopaedias. 

040  General  collections. 

050  General  periodicals. 

(Periodicals  on  a  special  subject  are  put  with  that  subject.) 

060  General  societies. 

070  Newspapers. 


RECEIVING    AND    ENTERING    BOOKS.  7 

080        Special  libraries.     Polygraphy. 
090        Book  rarities. 

(Books  about  rarities,  as  well  as  books  chiefly  valuable  for  their  rarity, 
go  here.) 

loo        PHILOSOPHY. 


no  Metaphysics. 

1 20  Special  metaphysical  topics. 

130  Mind  and  body. 

140  Philosophical  systems. 

(Discussions  of  the  systems  as  such.    Philosophical  works  themselves  are 
put  in  190.) 

150  Mental  faculties. 

1 60  Logic. 

170  Ethics. 

1 80  Ancient  philosophers. 

190  Modern  philosophers. 

(Their  collected  works  only.   Individual  works  are  put  with  their  subjects.) 

200        RELIGION. 

210  Natural  theology. 

220  Bible. 

230  Doctrinal  theology.     Dogmatics. 

240  Devotional  and  practical. 

250  Homiletic.     Pastoral.     Parochial. 

260  Church.     Institutions.     Work. 

270  Religious  history. 

280  Christian  churches  and  sects. 

290  Non-Christian  religions. 

300        SOCIOLOGY. 
310         Statistics. 

(Statistics  too  general  to  be  included  in  any  topic.    Statistics  of  a  special 
subject  are  put  with  that  subject.) 

320        Political  science. 
330         Political  economy. 


8  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

340  Law. 

350  Administration. 

360  Associations  and  institutions. 

370  Education. 

380  Commerce  and  communication. 

(Railroads,  etc.  Desirability  of  government  ownership,  control,  etc.  See 
also  650.) 

390        Customs.     Costumes.     Folk-lore. 

(The  heads  under  390  are  for  discussion  by  topic.  The  customs,  etc.,  of  a 
special  country  go  in  913-919.  Books  on  a  special  topic  in  a  special 
country  go  here,  as  the  grouping  by  topics  is  the  more  important.) 

PHILOLOGY. 

(Put  a  dictionary  of  two  languages  with  the  less  known  language.    A  dic- 
4OO  tionary  of  several  languages  with  410,  or  with  the  least  known  language. 

410  Comparative. 

420  English. 

430  German. 

440  French. 

450  Italian. 

460  Spanish. 

470  Latin. 

480  Greek. 

490  Minor  languages. 

500        NATURAL  SCIENCE. 

510  Mathematics. 

520  Astronomy. 

530  Physics. 

540  Chemistry. 

550  Geology. 

560  Paleontology. 

570  Biology. 

(Put  here  only  those  books  which  cover  both  580  and  590.) 

580         Botany. 
590         Zoology. 


RECEIVING   AND    ENTERING    BOOKS.  9 

600        USEFUL  ARTS. 

610  Medicine. 

620  Engineering. 

630  Agriculture. 

640  Domestic  economy. 

650  Communication  and  commerce. 

(Railroads,  their  practical  administration,  making  up  and  dispatching  of 
trains,  time  tables,  etc.  Steamboats.— See  also  380.) 

660        Chemical  technology. 
670         Manufactures. 

(General  subject  of  metal,  wood,  etc.,  manufactures,  and  such  specific 
manufactures  as  would  not  be  of  more  value  elsewhere.  An  account 
of  a  specific  manufacture  is  commonly  more  useful  with  its  own 
subject.) 

680        Mechanic  trades. 
690        Building. 

(Practical  side.    720,  artistic  side.) 

700        FINE  ARTS. 

710  Landscape  gardening. 

720  Architecture. 

730  Sculpture. 

740  Drawing.     Design.     Decoration. 

750  Painting. 

760  Engraving. 

770  Photography. 

780  Music. 

790  Amusements. 

800        LITERATURE. 


8 10  American. 

820  English. 

830  German. 

840  French. 

850  Italian. 


10  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

860  Spanish. 

870  Latin. 

880  Greek. 

890  Minor  languages. 

HISTORY. 

(The  history  of  wars  goes  with  the  country  invaded  unless  especially  per- 
9°°  taining  to  the  invading  people.) 

910         Geography  and  description. 
920         Biography. 

(Arrange  individual  biography  by  subject  of  the  life,  collective  by  author.) 

930         Ancient  history. 


940 

950 
960 
970 
980 
990 


Modern.  1 


Europe. 
Asia. 
Africa. 

North  America. 
South  America. 
.  Oceanica  and  Polar  regions. 


The  1000  heads  give  subdivisions  of  the  classes  just  enumer- 
ated :  these  are  issued  in  pamphlet  form  by  the  Library  Bureau, 
as  also  a  full  explanation  of  the  use  of  the  classification. 

When  you  have  decided  to  which  of  these  classes  a  book 
belongs,  write  the  number  of  the  class  in  pencil  on  the  reverse  of 
the  title  page  just  above  the  copyright  entry.  Then  arrange 
together  all  the  books  that  belong  to  one  class. 

Then  enter  one  class  at  a  time  in  your  accessions-book,  or 
entry-ledger,  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  For  1000,  2000  or  5000 
volumes  you  can  get  the  Condensed  Accessions-book  made  by  the 
Library  Bureau,  which  has  the  accession  numbers  stamped  in  the 
margin  and  printed  headings  for  the  columns.  This  costs  $1.00, 
$3.00  or  $5.00,  according  to  the  number  of  lines,  1000,  2000,  or 
5000.  If  you  cannot  afford  this,  get  a  good  sized  blank  book  with 
plenty  of  vertical  rulings,  and  do  your  own  numbering  and  head- 
ing. Perhaps  you  can  draw  up  an  outline  and  some  local  manu- 


RECEIVING    AND    ENTERING    BOOKS. 


11 


1 


OF   THK 

UNIVERC5ITY 


12  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

facturer  can  make  a  book  for  you,  but  this  would  be  likely  to  be 
quite  as  expensive  as  the  book  from  the  Bureau.  {See  Fig.  i. ) 

In  order  to  make  it  still  easier  to  find  what  you  want  in 
the  accessions-book,  it  might  be  well  to  arrange  the  books  of  each 
class  alphabetically,  by  the  author's  name,  before  entering. 
Enter  the  fiction  first,  so  that  it  can  be  catalogued  and  put  into 
circulation  before  anything  else,  as  it  is  the  class  of  literature 
most  in  demand. 

Give  every  volume  a  line  and  a  number  in  the  accessions-book. 
Many  libraries  do  not  do  this,  and  consider  it  a  waste  of  time 
and  paper,  but  the  extra  pains  justifies  itself  in  the  end.  As  the 
book  is  for  the  sake  of  recording  accessions,  the  numbering 
must  begin  at  i  and  run  in  regular  order.  A  glance  at  the 
number  of  the  last  entry  will  at  any  time  show  how  many 
volumes  the  library  has  received. 

When  a  book  is  entered,  it  must  receive,  on  the  page  after 
the  title-page,  written  in  ink,  the  number  that  it  has  in  the 
accessions-book.  The  accessions-book  is  of  great  importance  aside 
from  its  use  as  a  record,  as  in  case  of  fire  it  enables  you  to  esti- 
mate the  loss  and  secure  your  insurance,  if  prices  are  carefully 
recorded  in  it. 

If  you  have  an  assistant,  it  would  be  well  to  set  him  or  her  to 
cataloguing  the  books  as  fast  as  you  enter  them,  and  if  you  are  to 
do  all  the  work  yourself,  we  should  recommend,  as  before  stated, 
the  entry  of  all  the  fiction  and  the  cataloguing  of  that,  in  order 
to  give  it  to  the  public  while  you  are  engaged  in  entering  and 
cataloguing  the  rest  of  the  books.  Biography  and  history  being 
the  classes  next  in  demand  in  most  libraries,  enter  and  catalogue 
those  next,  then  literature  in  general,  then  travels,  etc. 

The  public  generally  grow  very  impatient  to  get  into  a  new 
library,  and  think  it  takes  a  long  time  to  get  it  ready  ;  so  it  is 
as  well  to  have  an  occasional  sop  for  Cerberus,  administered  as 
recommended  above. 


CHAPTER  2. 


BOOK-NUMBERS   AND   CATALOGUING. 

IT  is  evident  that  the  class-number  alone  does  not  make  a 
sufficient  call-number — there  must  be  something  to  distin- 
guish each  book  from  all  others  in  the  same  class,  and  for 

this  reason  we  have  the  book-number.  This,  taken  in 
connection  with  the  class,  should  identify  the  book  thoroughly, 
as  the  full  name  does  a  person. 

A  book-number  may  be  made  to  indicate  various  things,  as 
well  as  to  identify  a  certain  book.  It  may  show  how  many 
books  the  library  has  of  its  class,  as  would  be  the  case  if  all 
books  under  each  class  were  assigned  a  strict  numerical  arrange- 
ment— e.  g.,  942-1  would  be  the  first  book  in  that  class,  942-2, 
the  second,  and  so  on.  It  may  show  how  many  books  there  are 
in  a  class  whose  author's  name  begins  with  a  certain  letter  ;  e.  g., 
942-Gi  would  be  the  first  book  in  the  class  whose  author's  name 
begins  with  G,  and  942-02  would  be  the  second.  It  may  show 
the  date  of  publication,  as  by  the  scheme  of  time-numbers 
invented  by  Mr.  W.  S.  Biscoe  of  the  New  York  State  Library  ; 
and  it  may  show  how  many  books  the  library  has  in  any 
one  class  by  a  given  author.  This  last  is  the  best  arrange- 
ment, as  it  keeps  together  on  the  shelves  an  author's  books 
in  any  one  line  of  writing,  which  none  of  the  others  4o, 
beyond  a  certain  point.  For  this  reason  the  Cutter  book-numbers 
are  recommended,  the  table  of  which  may  be  had  from  the 
Library  Bureau  or  by  applying  to  the  author,  C.  A.  Cutter. 


14  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

Explanations  are  supplied  with  the  tables,  and  a  little  study 
should  make  the  system  easy  to  use.  For  a  large  or  fast-grow- 
ing library  this  style  of  book-numbering  is  decidedly  the  best, 
especially  for  fiction  and  biography,  as  it  is  very  desirable  to 
have  all  of  an  author's  novels  together  and  all  the  biographies  of 
a  person  in  one  place.  In  the  case  of  biography,  the  number 
would  be  assigned  from  the  name  of  the  subject,  of  course,  rather 
than  that  of  the  author. 

Bach  book  should  receive  its  book-number  on  the  reverse  of 
the  title-page  under  the  class-number.  It  has  then  been  christ- 
ened and  is  ready  to  be  described,  or  catalogued, — for  cataloguing 
is  only  a  description,  more  or  less  detailed,  by  which  the  borrower 
may  satisfy  himself  whether  the  book  is  the  one  he  wants. 

Persons  taking  books  from  a  library  usually  wish  to  know 
one  of  three  things;  i.  e.,  Has  the  library  a  book  by  a  given 
title  ?  What  books  has  it  by  a  given  author  ?  How  many  and 
what  books  has  it  on  a  given  subject  ?  And  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
smallest  library  to  furnish  answers  to  these  questions  by  means 
of  some  kind  of  catalogue. 

Almost  the  first  thing  that  a  small  library  does  is  to  print  a 
catalogue.  Usually  the  local  printer  does  the  work,  and  owing 
to  the  necessity  for  economy  on  the  part  of  the  library,  and  the 
small  outfit  of  the  printing-office,  the  outcome  is  not  a  thing  of 
beauty, — poor  cataloguing,  poor  paper,  and  poor  type,  make  a 
wretched  combination  ;  and  before  the  book  is  fairly  out  there 
are  volumes  enough  added  to  the  library  to  form  a  brief  supple- 
ment. Books  continue  to  be  added,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
catalogue  utterly  misrepresents  the  library's  resources.  The 
librarian  is  persuaded  to  print  a  supplement.  If  he  has  money 
enough,  and  if  there  are  enough  additions  to  warrant  it,  he  may 
do  so.  People  then  either  drop  the  original  catalogue  and 
depend  upon  one  supplement  until  another  comes  out,  or  for 
every  book  they  want  they  must  look  through  both  lists.  The 
more  supplements  there  are  added,  the  more  there  are  to  consult 
in  a  search  for  a  given  work.  In  no  one  place  are  the  whole 
contents  of  the  library  catalogued,  and  between  the  issues  of 


BOOK-NUMBERS    AND    CATALOGUING.  15 

supplements  there  is  nothing  to  show  properly  the  additions 
from  month  to  month. 

There  is  this  in  favor  of  even  a  small  printed  catalogue  or 
finding-list, — it  may  be  consulted  at  home  for  the  making  out  of 
lists  of  call-numbers  to  be  sent  in  by  a  messenger  ;  and  this  is 
its  only  recommendation.  Where  the  borrowers  live  at  long 
distances  from  the  library,  this  is  a  matter  for  serious  considera- 
tion, however. 

The  card-catalogue  must  be  consulted  at  the  library,  but  it 
can  be  kept  up  to  date,  even  to  the  day,  and  it  can  be  arranged 
in  one  alphabetical  series,  so  that  there  is  but  one  place  in  which 
to  look  for  a  book. 

A  small  library  which  must  consider  expense  may  use  the 


o 


Fig.  2. 

index  size  of  card  (See  Fig.  2),  which  is  5x2  inches,  instead  of 
the  postal  size,  on  which  there  would  often  be  waste  space, 
especially  if  a  finding-list  were  projected  rather  than  a  catalogue. 
The  thickness  of  the  card  becomes  a  matter  for  thought,  since  if 
too  thick  it  takes  too  much  space  in  the  catalogue-drawer  and 
fills  it  sooner  than  necessary ;  and  if  too  thin  it  is  apt  to  tear  and 
difficult  to  turn  with  the  fingers.  Of  these  evils,  the  too  thick 
card  is  to  be  preferred,  but  a  good  medium  weight  is  the 
No.  32 — x  of  the  Library  Bureau.  These  cards  come  at  $2.60 


16  HINTS    TO    SMAI.lv    LIBRARIES. 

per  thousand.  In  case  the  library  cannot  afford  the  ready-made 
card,  or  one  made  to  order  by  a  stationer,  small  pads  of  thick 
paper  near  the  required  size  could  be  used,  not  more  than  one 
entry  being  placed  on  each  leaf.  lyight-colored  manilla  pads  of 
heavy  weight  would  not  be  bad.  These  small  pads  are  sold  by 
most  stationers,  and  are  very  cheap.  The  ruling  of  the  ready- 
made  card  is  shown  in  Fig.  2. 

To  estimate  the  number  of  cards  needed  to  catalogue  a  given 
number  of  books,  we  may  take  it  for  granted  that  each  work 
(not  each  volume)  will  need  two  cards,  an  author  and  subject;  or, 
if  fiction,  an  author  and  a  title  card.  There  will  occasionally  be 
more  cards  to  a  work,  and  on  the  other  hand  several  volumes, 
copies  or  editions  of.  one  work,  can  go  on  the  same  card  ;  an 
allowance  of  three  cards  to  a  volume  would  give  the  cataloguer 
greater  liberty  and  often  make  the  catalogue  more  useful. 

The  perforation  in  the  card  in  Fig.  2  is  for  the  purpose  of 
stringing  the  cards  on  a  rod  which  passes  through  the  catalogue- 
drawer,  fastening  at  the  front.  If  they  were  not  held  by  some  such 
arrangement,  they  would  often  be  taken  out  and  lost  or  destroyed, 
or  put  back  in  the  wrong  place. 

The  drawer  or  box  for  the  card  should  be  just  as  wide  as  the 
cards  are  long,  giving  only  room  enough  for  them  to  move  back 
and  forth  as  they  are  handled.  A  block  shaped  thus  /  /J 
should  be  placed  before  and  behind  the  cards  to  keep  them  up- 
right. Great  depth  of  drawer  is  to  be  avoided,  as  the  cards 
should  have  all  the  light  possible ;  they  should  be  almost  flush 
with  the  top  of  the  drawer. 

A  long  drawer  is  also  disadvantageous.  It  is  better  to  have 
two  shorter  ones,  as  more  persons  can  then  consult  the  cards  at 
one  time  ;  and  for  the  same  reason  it  would  be  better  to  have  the 
drawers  side  by  side,  rather  than  one  above  the  other. 

In  a  clean  village  or  small  town,  where  no  all-pervading  soot 
has  to  be  guarded  against,  it  would  be  possible  to  have  wooden 
boxes  instead  of  drawers  for  the  catalogue,  and  lids  to  be  put  on 
only  at  night  or  when  the  library  is  closed.  There  would  then  be 
no  need  of  a  heavy,  immovable  case  of  drawers  ;  the  boxes  could 


BOOK-NUMBERS    AND    CATALOGUING.  17 

be  carried  to  the  window  or  to  the  gas  for  light,  and  consulted  at 
the  desk  or  table,  or  wherever  it  might  be  most  convenient.  Many 
such  privileges  as  this  can  be  granted  in  the  little  library  whose 
patrons  are  all  known  to  the  librarian  and  to  one  another,  which  it 
would  not  be  safe  to  allow  in  the  large  public  library,  where  the 
librarian  often  has  to  defend  a  part  of  his  public  against  the  rude 
or  inconsiderate  remainder. 

Starting  then  with  the  box,  rod,  and  cards,  we  are  ready  to 
make  our  catalogue,  and  are  confronted  at  the  outset  by  the  ques- 
tion, What  kind  of  catalogue  ? 


CHAPTER  3. 


CATALOGUING. 

I  HK  most  elaborate  cataloguing  gives  many  facts  that  it  is 
undesirable  to  insist  upon  in  the  catalogue  of  a  small  library; 

v  partly  because  the  kinds  of  books  in  a  small  library  do  not 
require  it  and  are  not  worth  it ;  partly  because  .elaborate  cata- 
loguing takes  time  and  training,  and  these  demand  money  ;  and 
partly  because  the  simpler  the  catalogue,  the  better  the  average 
public  likes  it. 

For  these  reasons,  it  is  recommended  that  the  small  library 
make  a  finding-list  rather  than  a  catalogue,  confining  itself  to 
only  the  most  necessary  facts. 

It  is  possible  to  catalogue  a  book  in  either  of  the  following 
ways  : 


Du  Maurier,  George. 


D  1161 


Peter  Ibbetson,  with  an  introd.  by  his  cousin, 
Lady  " Madge  Plunket". .  .7  +  418  p.  il.  O.  N.  Y., 
Harper,  1892. 


Fig.  4. 


CATALOGUING. 


19 


D  1161 


Du  Maurier,  George. 


Peter  Ibbetson. 


Fig.  5- 

Ten  to  one,  the  latter  card  will  give  all  that  most  people  care 
to  know. 

If  the  accession-number  be  down  at  the  bottom  of  the  card  or 
on  the  back,  the  librarian  can  easily  refer  to  the  accessions-book 
for  any  further  facts  he  may  wish  to  learn  in  regard  to  the  book. 


Take  another  instance,  not  in  fiction. 


921 


Amiel,  Henri-Frederic. 


Amiel's  Journal :  The  Journal  intime,  tr.  with 
an  introd.  and  notes  by  Mrs.  Humphrey  Ward. 
43  +  318  p.  por.  O.  Lond.,  Macmillan,  1890. 


Fig.  6. 


20  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

The  finding-list  could  shorten  this  to 


921 

Amiel,  H.  F. 

A 

Journal  intime,  tr.  by  Mrs.  Humphrey  Ward. 
Lond.,  1890. 

Fig.  7- 
or  even 

921 

Amiel. 

A 

Journal  intime,  tr.  by  Ward.     1890. 

Fig.  8. 
Biographical  subject-card. 

928 

Keats,  John.*                                       Life,  by 

K8 

Rossetti,  W.  M.     Lond.,  1887. 

*In  red  ink. 


Fig.  9. 


CATALOGUING. 


21 


Author  card  for  same. 


928 


Kossetti,  W.  M. 


K8 


Life  of  John  Keats.     Lond.,  1887. 


Fig.  10. 


Ordinary  subject-card. 


636 


Cats.* 


88 


Weir,    Harrison.      Our    cats    and    all    about    them. 
Bost,  1889. 


Fig.  II. 

Neither  paging  nor  size  of  volume  need  be  given  by  the  small 
library,  unless  the  dimensions  are  such  as  to  make  the  book  dis- 
appointing by  reason  of  smallness,  or  troublesome  by  reason  of 
weight.  A  rule  might  be  made  to  give  no  paging  unless  the 
book  has  fewer  than  50  pages,  or  more  than  500,  and  to  mention 
the  size  only  when  the  book  is  over  octavo  size  or  under  six- 
teenmo. 

The  mention  of  illustrations  may  always  be  dispensed  with  in 
the  case  of  a  novel,  unless  they  are  a  special  feature  of  the  book, 
being  by  some  celebrated  illustrator.  As  for  the  portrait  of 
Amiel,  for  instance,  there  is  no  need  to  mention  it  in  this  case,  as 


*  In  red  ink. 


22  HINTS    TO    SMAU,    LIBRARIES. 

we  expect  to  find  a  man's  portrait  in  his  biography  or  his  journal, 
if  we  are  to  find  it  anywhere,  and  if  we  were  looking  for  it  that 
would  be  our  first  place  of  search.  There  is  no  need  of  the  pub- 
lisher, and  small  use  for  the  place,  in  an  ordinary  finding-list. 
The  year  and  the  number  of  the  edition  are  desirable  in  all  cases 
except  in  fiction.  If  a  work  is  in  more  than  one  volume,  the  fact 
should  be  stated,  as  it  often  decides  the  choice  of  a  book.  Contents, 
should  be  given,  in  the  case  of  collections  of  essays,  short  stories,, 
dramas,  etc. ,  even  though  each  one  may  have  its  entry  under  the 
title  on  a  separate  card. 

Certain  tools  are  necessary  for  cataloguing,  even  of  the  simple 
kind  described,  and  bibliographical  tools  are  expensive.  The 
small  library,  or  one  forced  to  the  practice  of  strict  economy, 
would  do  well,  therefore,  to  obtain  the  printed  catalogue  of  some 
larger  library  as  a  guide.  Sometimes  these  may  be  had  for  the 
asking,  sometimes  they  are  sold,  but  in  any  case  they  are  cheaper, 
and  answer  a  greater  variety  of  questions,  than  most  of  the  biblio- 
graphical publications  which  served  to  guide  their  compilers.  A 
good  dictionary  catalogue,  recently  issued,  is  that  of  the  Cleve- 
land Public  Library  ;  and  good  classified  catalogues  are  those  of 
the  Milwaukee  Public  Library,  and  of  the  Fitchburg  Public 
Library  in  Massachusetts.  The  A.  L.  A.  catalogue,  published 
this  year  (1894)  by  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education,  is  the  latest 
good  authority. 

The  subject  of  the  arrangement  of  catalogues,  both  card  and 
printed,  has  been  a  matter  of  much  discussion  and  difference  of 
opinion.  In  the  dictionary  catalogue,  authors,  titles  and  subjects 
are  placed  in  one  alphabetical  series,  e.  g. : 

(Author)  Decatur,  Stephen. 

(Subject)  December. 

(Title  and  subject)  Decimal  system  in  numbers. 

(Author)  Decker,  Thomas. 

(  Title  and  subject)  Declaration  of  independence. 

The  advantage  of  this  arrangement  is  that  a  person  coming  in 
with  one  thought,  that  he  wants  a  book  or  several  books  on  cats, 
has  only  to  look  under  the  word  cats  to  find  a  certain  quantity  of 
material,  either  books  or  parts  of  books,  on  the  subject. 


UN] 

^CALi* 
CATALOGUING.  23 

This  is  much  easier  for  most  people  than  the  process  of  think- 
ing, * '  Cats  are  animals,  so  they  must  be  in  the  class  Zoology ; 
they  have  backbones,  so  they  must  be  in  the  sub-division  Verte- 
brates, etc."  Many  people,  children  especially,  might  not  know 
what  vertebrates  are,  or  even  what  zoology  means,  and  would  be 
an  endless  time  picking  out  a  book  on  cats  if  they  had  to  do  it 
from  a  classed  catalogue. 

If  the  classed  catalogue  has  an  alphabetical  index  in  which 
they  may  find  the  word  cats  with  a  reference  to  the  number  or 
name  of  the  class  in  which  it  is  to  be  found,  the  matter  is  easier  ; 
but  there  are  still  two  processes  to  be  gone  through  in  place  of  one. 

The  advantage  of  the  classed  catalogue  is  that  when  you  do 
find  your  subject  you  find  it  surrounded  by  its  kindred  classes. 

This  is  doubtless  a  great  advantage  to  scholars,  but  I  query 
if  it  is  of  much  use  to  the  general  public,  especially  in  a  card-cat- 
alogue, where  but  one  entry  appears  on  a  card  and  the  seeker 
would  have  to  turn  over  a  great  many  cards  in  order  to  see  all 
the  books  on  his  own  subject,  not  to  mention  kindred  ones. 

Therefore,  simply  for  practical  every-day  usefulness,  and  as  a 
matter  of  satisfaction  to  its  constituency,  the  specific  headings 
are  to  be  recommended  to  the  ordinary  public  library.  The  time 
of  assistants  in  making  explanations  will  be  saved,  as  well  as  con- 
siderable energy  in  the  form  of  temper,  on  the  part  of  the  public. 
Another  consideration  influencing  this  decision  will  be  given  in 
the  next  chapter. 

A  compromise  between  the  dictionary  and  classed  catalogue 
may  be  suggested,  which  will  enable  the  borrower  to  find  his  book 
on  cats  under  the  word  cats,  but  will  put  all  subjects  apart  from  the 
authors  and  titles,  in  a  separate  box  or  drawer.  Authors  and  titles 
may  also  be  separated,  since,  if  the  drawers  are  labeled  "Authors," 
'  'Titles, ' '  '  'Subjects, ' '  it  makes  the  catalogue  appear  much  simpler. 

Biographies  need  two  entries  always,  one  under  the  author, 
which  would  go  in  the  author-drawer,  and  one  under  the  subject 
of  the  biography,  which  would  go  in  the  subject-drawer. 

The  advantage  of  this  system  of  separate  catalogues  will  be 
more  and  more  appreciated  with  use. 


CHAPTER   4. 
THE   SHELF-LIST  AND    INVENTORY. 

IT  is  a  very  shiftless  business  man  who  goes  on  from  year  to 
year  without  ever  taking  acount  of  stock  and  finding  just 
what  he  has  on  hand  ;  and  if  a  library  is  to  be  conducted  on 
business  principles,  it  should  take  an  inventory  of  its  books 
once  a  year  if  practicable. 

We  will  suppose  that  your  books  stand  on  your  shelves  in 
classified  order,  beginning  at  i  and  running  to  999  in  regular 
numerical  arrangement,  first  by  class  and  then  by  book-number, 
unless  you  have  taken  fiction,  for  instance,  out  of  the  regular 
order,  in  order  to  place  it  nearer  the  loan  desk  for  convenience' 
sake.  And  here  be  warned  not  to  let  theory  or  an  extreme  love 
of  system  interfere  with  practical  convenience. 

The  usual  method  of  conducting  an  inventory  being  to  read 
from  the  inventory-book,  or  shelf-list,  to  the  shelves,  this  list 
must  be  arranged  in  the  same  order  as  the  books  on  the  shelves, 
i.  e.y  all  of  a  class  together,  the  arrangement  under  the  class 
being  by  the  order  of  the  book-numbers.  This  list  is  useful,  not 
alone  for  inventory  purposes  but  also  as  a  classed  catalogue,  to 
show  at  any  time  all  that  the  library  has  in  any  class  or  sub- 
class ;  and  having  this  in  numerical  or  class  arrangement,  the 
small  library  that  should  make,  in  addition,  a  classed  catalogue, 
would  be  duplicating  work.  It  is  true  that  this  is  an  official 
record,  not  for  public  use ;  still,  if  an  emergency  should  occur  to 
which  the  alphabetical  subject  catalogue  was  inadequate,  it  would 
be  a  very  narrow-minded  library  that  would  not  allow  the  use  of 
its  shelf-list. 

Many  librarians  keep  their  shelf-lists  on  sheets  laced  together, 
to  admit  of  slipping  new  sheets  into  their  proper  numerical  place 


THE    SHELF-LIST    AND    INVENTORY. 


25 


as  new  classes  are  introduced  ;  others  keep  their  shelf-lists  on 
cards,  entering  one  work  to  a  card. 

The  card  arrangement  is  growing  more  popular,  as  it  never 
requires  rewriting,  while  the  shelf-list  on  sheets  is  certain  to  fill  up 
in  time,  and  then  when  additional  books  come  in  it  must  be  rewrit- 
ten, unless  a  whole  leaf  is  allotted  to  one  class,  which  would  be 
rather  expensive  for  a  small  library.  It  is  very  hard,  too,  to  keep 
shelf-list  sheets  from  tearing  and  slipping  out  of  the  covers. 

We  will  suppose  that  you  have  chosen  the  cards,  or  stiff  slips, 
for  your  shelf-list,  intending  to  keep  them  in  a  box  or  drawer  as 
you  do  your  catalogue  cards.  As  it  is  to  be  mainly  an  official  re- 
cord and  will  not  be  so  much  handled,  you  will  not  need  so  strong 
a  card.  It  is  advisable,  however,  to  have  the  cards  fastened  in, 
as  it  would  be  a  serious  matter  to  lose  an  entry  from  your  inventory. 

The  chief  difference  between  these  cards  and  those  of  your 
catalogue  will  be  that  these  are  briefer,  giving  only  the  surname 
of  the  author,  a  very  brief  title,  and  no  imprint.  The  call- 
number,  accession-number,  and  number  of  volumes,  must  be 
given.  An  example  is  given  of  a  book  of  which  the  library 
has  more  than  one  copy  : 


320-73 

976 

Bryce 

Amer.  Commonwealth. 

320-73 

4001 

COp.  2. 

Fig.  12. 

These  cards  are  arranged  in  the  drawer  or  box  by  the  call-num- 
bers in  the  upper  left-hand  corner  of  the  cards,  and  you  can  easily 


26  HINTS    TO    SMAUv    LIBRARIES. 

see  that  all  the  3205,  for  instance,  will  thus  be  together,  arranged 
by  their  book-numbers ;  and  as  320  represents  Political  Science 
and  all  your  books  in  that  class  stand  together  on  the  shelves,  the 
shelf-list  is  shown  to  be,  as  we  first  described  it,  a  subject  cata- 
logue and  an  inventory -book  combined.  If  you  are  obliged  to 
choose  between  a  subject  catalogue  with  written  headings  on  the 
one  hand,  and  a  shelf-list  on  the  other,  choose  the  latter,  with  an 
index,  because  of  its  answering  two  purposes  ;  but  if  you  can 
have  both  a  shelf-list  and  a  subject  catalogue,  let  the  latter  have 
subject  headings  and  keep  the  cards  in  alphabetical  order  by  these 
headings,  rather  than  in  numerical  order. 

The  making  of  the  shelf-list  need  never  keep  the  books  wait- 
ing, for  the  call-number  and  title  may  be  hastily  written  in  in 
pencil  and  verified  later  from  the  catalogue  cards,  after  the  books 
have  gone  on  to  the  shelves.  This  should  be  done  as  speedily  as 
possible,  so  that  your  shelf-list  may  always  be  referred  to  for  the 
latest  book  in  a  class. 

When  it  comes  to  taking  an  inventory,  choose  the  time  of 
year  when  your  circulation  is  lowest,  so  that  most  of  your  books 
will  be  in  and  their  condition  may  be  noted,  and  also  because  it 
is  your  least  busy  time. 

If  you  have  any  one  to  help  you,  let  that  person  find  the  book 
on  the  shelves  as  you  call  it  off  from  the  shelf-list.  When  you  have 
gone  over  your  shelves  and  have  taken  a  list  of  the  books  not  in 
place,  look  for  them  in  your  charging-system  (which  will  be 
explained  later),  to  see  if  they  are  out.  If  they  are  charged  to 
some  one,  they  are  accounted  for  and  can  be  checked  off  the  list. 
Not  finding  a  book  in  circulation,  see  next  if  it  is  charged  to  the 
binder,  if  it  is  on  your  mending-table,  or  anywhere  in  your  work- 
room or  work-corner.  Then  come  back  to  the  shelves  again,  and 
see  if  it  has  not  turned  up  in  its  place.  When  all  possible  places 
have  been  searched  in  vain,  put  it  on  your  list  of  * '  Books  unac- 
counted for."  Often  books  will  come  to  light  after  a  disappear- 
ance of  months  or  years,  and  this  list  need  never  be  accepted  as 
final. 


CHAPTER   5. 

MECHANICAL   PREPARATION    OF   BOOKS   FOR  THE 
SHELVES —BINDING. 

|HE  classification  and  cataloguing  of  a  book  are  a  part  of  its 

preparation  for  the  shelves,  but  there  is  more  to  be  done. 
A.  If  a  library  can  afford  it,  a  tasteful  plate  is  an  addition 

to  the  good  appearance  of  its  books  and  helps  to  identify  them  if 
lost  or  mislaid,  and  this  should  show  both  call-number  and  acces- 
sion-number ;  but  the  library  in  straitened  circumstances  can 
not  afford  items  which  are  not  necessary  to  the  progress  of  its 
work,  and  will  compromise  with  necessity  by  causing  to  be  made 
a  rubber  stamp,  with  which  the  statement  of  the  library's  owner- 
ship can  be  stamped  upon  the  reverse  of  the  title-page,  on  the 
last  page  if  there  is  blank  space  there,  and  on  various  blank 
spaces  throughout  the  book. 

The  pocket,  if  one  is  to  be  used  in  the  charging-system,  should 
be  of  linen  or  manilla  paper,  folded  and  pasted  on  the  inside  of  the 
back  cover,  with  the  call-number  printed  on  it  by  hand  ;  the  dating- 
slip  tipped  in  opposite  it ;  the  call-number  printed  or  stamped  on 
the  back  of  the  title-page,  where  the  classifier  has  written  it 
in  pencil.  Then  comes  the  question  of  labels  and  covering. 

A  great  many  libraries  cover  their  books  in  order  to  preserve 
the  clean  new  look  of  the  original  cover ;  but  why  preserve  this 
when  no  one  can  see  it  ?  If  the  dirt  that  would  collect  on  a  dark 


28  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

book  collects  on  a  light  paper  cover,  it  is  more  of  an  offense  than 
if  it  were  not  brought  into  so  strong  a  contrast.  And  say  what 
you  will,  the  re-covering,  which  takes  a  great  deal  of  time,  will 
not  always  be  done  when  it  should  be. 

Then,  when  the  inside  of  the  book  is  worn  out,  there  is  your 
clean,  fresh-looking  book-back  to  throw  away,  whereas  without 
covering,  all  would  have  shared  wear  and  tear  alike,  and  the 
work  of  covering  and  re-covering  would  have  been  saved. 

Further  than  this,  book-covers  have  individuality,  and  often 
help  to  select  books.  Assistants  learn  to  know  the  appearance  of 
a  book  and  can  point  it  out  across  the  room,  or  make  a  dart  at 
it  out  of  a  whole  case,  when  seeking  it  in  a  hurry.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  warn  the  busy  librarian  against  covering  books, — he 
or  she  knows  too  well  the  value  of  time  and  the  short  life-tenure 
of  press- work  bindings  ;  it  is  usually  the  library  board  which  has 
to  be  persuaded  against  entering  upon  so  troublesome  a  path. 

Labels  can  be  bought,  with  the  class-number  ready  printed, 
from  P.  Van  Bveren  &  Co.,  leaving  only  the  book-number  to  be 
put  on  ;  but  the  work  of  labeling  is  such  a  trifle  that  it  is  better 
to  save  the  money  than  the  time,  provided  your  own  printing  is 
heavy  and  in  large  figures.  Do  not  get  ready-gummed  labels;  they 
are  apt  to  peel  off,  as  the  gum  makes  the  label  curl  and  stiffens  it 
in  that  shape.  When  your  book  is  stamped,  provided  with  label, 
dating-slip,  and  pocket  with  book-card  in  it,  it  is  ready  for  the 
shelves.  If  it  is  a  new  book  (not  a  new  copy  of  an  old  book), 
place  it  where  its  title  can  be  seen  by  the  people  who  come  in  ;  a 
row  of  new  books  placed  where  the  titles  can  be  read  often  gives 
help  to  persons  who  do  not  know  just  what  they  want. 

Many  small  libraries  are  safe  in  letting  new  books  go  into  the 
hands  of  borrowers  for  examination ;  and  indeed  some  large 
libraries  do  this,  but  there  is  always  a  risk.  It  is  much  to  be 
desired  that  large  libraries  should  have  space  railed  off  in  the 
loan-room  for  examination  of  new  books  by  the  public,  as  is  fre- 
quently done  in  book-stores. 

When  a  book  comes  in  that  needs  mending,  it  should  be  laid 
aside  in  the  book-hospital  until  the  librarian  or  assistant  can 


MECHANICAL  PREPARATION  OF  BOOKS. 


29 


attend  to  it.  If  pages  are  torn,  use  paste  and  tissue  paper  to 
mend  them,  as  binders  do  ;  and  if  they  are  torn  out  or  loose,  tip 
them  in  with  paste.  Do  not  use  mucilage  for  mending,  as  it 
hardens  and  cracks,  and  makes  it  next  to  impossible  to  rebind  the 
books  when  necessary.  Strips  of  book  -muslin  or  strong  cheese- 
cloth can  be  pasted  across  loose  backs,  and  a  hinge  made  of  dark 
lining  cambric  or  some  similar  fabric,  can  be  used  to  fasten  on  a 
lid  that  has  broken  away  from  the  book. 

Much  mending  can  be  done  in  the  library,  but  the  time 
comes  when  books  require  professional  attendance  and  must  go 
to  the  binder.  Take  out  the  book-cards  and  charge  them  to  the 
binder  (i.  e.,  fasten  them  together,  mark  with  binder's  name  and 
the  date  of  sending,  and  place  the  package  in  your  charging- 
tray). 

Have  a  small  blank-book,  in  which  you  make  record,  before 
the  books  go,  as  follows  : 


Binder's 
No. 

Accession 
No. 

Author 

Title 

Vol. 

No. 

Cost 

Remarks 

I 

TOO2 

Everett 

Orations. 

I 

1A  morocco. 

2 

3 

275 
901 

Longfellow 
Smith 

Poems. 
Wealth  of  nations. 

X      " 

Same  cover. 

4 

108 

Stowe 

Uncle  Tom's  Cabin. 

Yz  roan. 

5 

467 

Wallace 

Ben  Hur. 

YZ  roan. 

13- 


Let  the  lettering  be  exactly  what  you  wish  put  on  the  book. 
For  economy's  sake,  as  a  binder's  charge  is  generally  by  the 
line,  have  lettered  on  the  book  only  the  author's  surname  and  a 
brief  title,  leaving  the  call-number  and  volume-number  to  be  put 
on  by  label  when  the  book  comes  back.  The  accession-number 
it  is  necessary  to  set  down  in  your  blank-book  for  identification 
of  different  copies  or  editions.  Arrange  your  entries  alphabet- 
ically by  author's  names.  Put  into  each  volume  before  it  goes  a 
slip  showing  the  lettering  you  desire  and  giving  directions,  and 


30  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

require  this  slip  to  be  returned  with  the  book.     A  narrow  slip  of 
any  kind  of  paper  pencilled  thus  : 


3         y2  roan. 
Smith. 

Wealth  of 
Nations. 

Fig.  14. 

is  all  that  is  necessary.  When  the  books  are  returned  by  the 
binder,  first  arrange  them  by  authors,  see  that  the  lettering  of 
each  corresponds  with  the  slip,  then  check  them  off  on  your 
book  as  returned.  Put  on  the  labels,  put  in  pocket,  dating-slip, 
etc.,  re-insert  book-card,  and  the  book  is  ready  for  the  shelves 
again. 

For  the  sake  of  statistics  it  is  well  to  give  each  book  as  it 
goes  out  a  binder's  number.  Beginning  at  i  with  the  first  book 
sent  after  the  beginning  of  the  library-year,  number  your  binder's 
blank  consecutively  down  the  page.  In  the  first  book,  before  it 
goes  to  the  binder,  place  the  number  i  in  pencil  on  the  first 
recto  (right-hand  page)  after  the  title-page,  in  an  inconspicuous 
place,  the  number  2  in  the  next  book,  and  so  on.  By  this  means 
you  can  refer  at  any  time  during  the  year  from  a  book  to  its 
entry  in  the  binder's  book,  and  see  when  it  was  bound  and  how 
much  the  binding  cost. 

Make  an  agreement  with  your  binder  to  charge  a  regular 
price  for  books  of  a  given  size,  the  size  being  estimated  by  inches. 
Have  an  ordinary  wooden  ruler  made,  and  one  side  covered  with 
white  paper.  On  this,  mark  off  with  ink  the  usual  sizes  of  books, 
with  prices  agreed  upon  for  each  size.  Measure  your  books 
when  returned,  and  see  if  the  price  on  the  binder's  bill  agrees 
with  that  required  by  your  ruler.  Transfer  prices,  if  correct,  to 
your  book,  keep  the  columns  of  figures  footed,  and  at  any  time 
during  the  year  you  can  say  just  how  many  books  you  have 
bound  and  how  much  your  binding  has  cost. 

Do  not  let  the  binder  lump  the  books  in  his  bill.     Require 


MECHANICAL   PREPARATION   OF   BOOKS.  31 

each  book  to  be  priced  separately.  If  the  library  could  afford  a 
copy-press,  the  routine  and  tools  advised  would  be  somewhat 
different  from  this,  but  very  few  small  libraries  would  feel  a 
press  to  be  necessary. 

In  the  case  of  periodicals,  keep  the  back  numbers  of  each 
together,  so  that  no  time  need  be  lost  in  collecting  them  for 
binding  when  the  time  comes.  Hunt  for  the  title-page  and  put 
it  on  the  top  of  the  volume,  placing  the  index  at  the  front  or 
back,  as  the  paging  may  require.  Let  the  binder  tear  out 
advertising  pages,  but  have  the  front  covers,  at  least,  bound  in,, 
if  in  good  condition,  in  the  place  where  they  occur.  They  are 
sometimes  a  great  help  afterward,  in  consulting  the  bound 
volume. 

Have  it  understood  with  your  binder  that  his  bill  for  any  one 
lot  will  be  paid  when  the  entire  lot  has  been  returned. 

Pamphlets  with  stiff  paper  covers  are  often  received  as  gifts, 
and  many  libraries  buy  paper-covered  novels.  Where  economy 
is  an  object,  these  covers  can  often  be  strengthened  by  an  extra 
one  of  manilla  paper,  and  may  then  last  a  long  time. 


CHAPTER   6. 
RELATIONS  WITH  THE  PUBLIC :-REGISTRATION. 

I  HE  library  in  the  small  town  has  an  advantage  over  the  one 
in  the  large  town,  in  that  the  librarian  can  generally  know 
\  of  his  own  knowledge  the  character  and  standing  of  the 
persons  who  apply  for  books.  If  an  applicant  is  notoriously  slow 
in  paying  his  debts  or  given  to  evading  financial  responsibilities, 
the  librarian  is  apt  to  know  of  it,  and  can,  if  backed  by  his  trus- 
tees or  his  board,  decline  to  lend  books  to  so  suspicious  a  char- 
acter. If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  applicant  has  a  good  reputa- 
tion, the  librarian  is  apt  to  know  that,  too,  and  can  proceed 
accordingly.  It  would  be  a  pity  therefore  for  any  small  library  to 
saddle  itself  with  the  guaranty  system,  which  means  double 
work,  two  people  to  be  dunned  instead  of  one,  each  blaming  the 
other  in  case  of  fines  or  loss  of  books  and  sending  the  poor  col- 
lector back  and  forth  like  a  shuttlecock. 

The  man  who  is  honest  and  willing  to  bear  the  consequences 
of  his  remissness  does  not  need  a  guarantor  ;  the  man  who  is  dis- 
posed to  shirk  consequences  has  it  made  easy  for  him  by  the  pro- 
vision of  security,  and  often  the  guarantor  is  no  more  responsible 
than  the  applicant.  The  principle  is  a  wrong  one  and  its  appli- 
cation is  disagreeable  from  every  point  of  view. 

The  fact  that  the  librarian  can  know  the  people  of  his  village 
or  town  makes  it  unnecessary  to  require  the  usual  delay  in  grant- 
ing cards,  which  is  ostensibly  for  the  purpose  of  looking  up  the 
standing  of  applicants.  He  is  generally  safe  in  receiving  an 
application,  registering  the  applicant,  and  giving  him  a  card  and 


RELATIONS  WITH  THE  PUBLIC.  33 

a  book,  all  at  one  interview  ;  and  nothing  is  more  desirable  than 
to  dispense  with  the  long  waits  which  are  so  vexatious  to  the 
public,  because  they  can  see  no  reason  for  them. 

The  small  library  may  make  the  signing  of  its  register  a 
pledge  by  having  printed  at  the  top  of  each  page  a  promise  to 
* '  obey  the  rules  of  the  library  and  make  good  any  loss  or  damage 
incurred  through  me."  Each  applicant  who  writes  his  name 
below  has  thus  given  his  pledge.  His  address  should  be  given  as 
well,  if  the  town  has  numbered  and  named  streets.  This  makes 
unnecessary  the  keeping  of  a  file  of  written  applications.  The 
lines  of  the  register  should  be  numbered  consecutively,  begin- 
ning at  one,  each  number  representing  a  borrower.  This 
will  show  the  number  of  persons  using  the  library  since  the 
beginning. 

The  date  should  be  written  in  each  morning  before  the  day's 
work  begins.  Each  person's  number  should  be  placed  on  his 
card  before  that  is  given  to  him,  and  his  privileges  should  begin 
from  the  date  of  his  registration,  the  date  of  their  expiration 
appearing  on  the  card.  In  order  that  a  borrower's  registration 
may  be  easily  found,  it  would  be  necessary  to  have  an  alphabet- 
ical index  bound  in  with  the  register,  referring  from  the  borrow- 
er's name  to  his  number,  or  the  same  sort  of  index  on  slips.  This 
index  could  be  used  also  in  connection  with  the  charging-system, 
to  find  the  borrower's  number  if  he  should  forget  it.  Account 
should  be  kept  of  the  number  of  expirations  and  the  number  of 
renewals  of  library  privileges,  in  order  that  at  any  time  an 
approximate  idea  may  be  had  of  the  number  of  borrowers  using 
the  library. 

The  assessment  and  collection  of  fines  is  the  most  disagree- 
able part  of  a  librarian's  duty. 

Collections  should  be  attended  to  promptly,  in  order  that  fines 
may  not  accumulate  and  become  a  burden  to  the  borrower  ;  firmly 
and  without  respect  to  persons  ;  if  possible,  by  an  assistant  rather 
than  by  the  librarian,  in  order  that  she  may  shelter  herself  behind 
the  statement  that  it  is  the  rule  of  the  library,  to  change  which 
she  has  no  discretion  ;  and  if  the  librarian  thinks  best  to  suspend 


34 


HINTS    TO    SMAIvIy    LIBRARIES. 


or  set  aside  the  rule,  it  should  be  done  at  a  private  interview  and 
never  before  other  borrowers. 

The  charge  in  most  libraries  is  two  cents  per  day  for  books 
overdue,  not  counting  Sundays  and  holidays. 

I/ost  books  should  be  paid  for  at  a  slight  advance  on  their 
original  cost  to  the  library,  to  offset  the  inconvenience  of  being 
without  them,  and  the  work  of  ordering  new  copies  and  preparing 
them  for  circulation. 

A  penalty  should  be  attached  to  the  loss  of  borrowers'  cards 
in  the  form  of  either  a  small  fine  or  a  period  of  waiting  for  a  new 
card,  or  a  combination  of  the  two.  The  disappearance  of  a  card 
means  not  only  inconvenience  to  the  library,  but  also  possible 
loss,  as  some  irresponsible  person  may  find  the  card  and  use  it, 
leaving  no  one  accountable  for  the  fines  or  damages  charged  on  it. 


CHAPTER   7. 

THE   CHARGING   SYSTEM. 

I  HE  great  difficulty  in  selecting  a  charging  system  is  to  find 

one  that  will  answer  all  the  questions  the  library  wishes 

^     answered  from  time  to  time,  in  regard  to  its  accounts  with 

books  and  borrowers,  and  yet  that  can  be  handled  quickly  and 

managed  by  a  few  persons,  perhaps  by  only  one. 

At  inventory-time  the  great  question  is,  "Where  is  82I-J6, 
which  is  not  on  the  shelves  ?' '  and  the  charging  system  should 
answer  this.  At  many  other  times  the  inquiry  may  come  up,  as 
call  after  call  for  the  book  without  avail  shows  that  it  is  not  in 
its  place,  and  that  some  one  is  keeping  it  out  longer  than  is 
allowed,  or  that  it  is  temporarily  lost. 

Another  question  that  has  frequently  to  be  answered  is, 

"  What  or  how  many  books  are  charged  to  Mr.  or  Mrs. ?" 

And  the  charging  system  should  answer  this,  if  possible. 

It  must  tell  how  long  books  have  been  out  and  how  much 
overdue  they  are,  so  that  fines  may  be  properly  assessed.  It 
should  show  what  class  of  books  is  most  popular,  and  how  all 
classes  compare  as  to  circulation. 

Many  borrowers  object  to  carrying  ..their  cards,  and  the  small 
library  often  undertakes  the  charge  of  them  and  keeps  them  as  a 
part  of  its  charging  system.  The  very  large  public  library  would 
find  this  too  burdensome,  and  therefore  must  require  borrowers 
to  share  something  besides  its  benefits,  by  taking  the  responsibil- 
ity of  keeping  their  own  cards. 

We  shall  describe  here  two  systems,  suitable  for  small 
libraries, — one  in  which  the  library  keeps  all  cards,  and  the 


36 


HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 


other  in  which  the  borrower's  card  is  carried  by  himself  and 
presented  each  time  a  book  is  drawn.  The  former  is  not  suitable 
— at  least  it  would  mean  a  great  deal  of  trouble — for  a  library 
having  over  five  hundred  borrowers.  This  will  be  described  first. 
When  the  book  has  been  catalogued,  a  card  is  made  from 
stiff  paper,  if  the  library  cannot  afford  book-cards  ready-made,  on 
which  are  inscribed  at  the  top  the  call-number,  the  author's  sur- 
name, and  a  very  brief  title,  thus  : 


813 

S  26 

St 

owe 

Un 

cle 

To 

m's 

Cab 

in 

Fig. 


THE    CHARGING    SYSTEM. 


37 


This  is  the  book-card  ;  when  a  book  is  in,  its  card  is  kept  in 
a  tray  with  those  of  other  books  not  in  use,  in  the  order  of  the 
call-numbers. 

Bach  borrower,  when  admitted  to  the  privileges  of  the  library, 
has  had  a  card  made  out  like  the  following,  showing  his  name, 
address,  number  in  the  library-register,  and  the  date  of  expira- 
tion of  his  privileges : 


462                                                             12  Jan.,  '94. 
JOHN  SMITH,  cor.  Brown  and  Green. 

No. 

No. 

No. 

8T3- 
S26 

D5 

| 

Fig.  i 6. 

These  cards  must  be  kept  in  a  tray,  in  order  of  the  borrowers' 
names. 

John  Smith  comes  in  to  get  "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin."     He  has 


38 


HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 


the  number  first  on  his  list.  The  book  is  found  in  its  place,  the 
book-card  taken  from  its  tray,  and  placed  at  one  side.  John 
Smith's  card  is  then  found  in  the  tray  of  borrowers'  cards 


813 

S  26 

St 

owe 

Un 

cle 

To 

m's 

Cab 

in 

462 

D5 

| 

Fig.  17. 

arranged  by  their  surnames,  and  a  record  made  on  it  in  pencil, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  16. 

On  a  thin  slip  of  paper,  called  the  dating-slip,  pasted  in  the 
back  of  the  book,  is  stamped  D  5  in  order  to  remind  him  when 


THE    CHARGING    SYSTEM. 


39 


the  book  was  charged,  and  therefore  when  it  is  due.  Mr.  Smith 
can  then  take  his  book  and  go.  The  rest  of  the  process  can  be 
carried  out  without  his  assistance.  His  card  will  not  be  put 
back  into  the  same  division  of  the  tray  as  before,  but  into 
another  representing  borrowers  who  have  books  out,  where  cards 
are  arranged  by  the  borrowers'  numbers.  Before  this  is  done, 
however,  the  book-card  receives  in  pencil  the  record  shown  in 
Fig.  17- 

This  record  can  be  made  from  the  borrower's  card  at  any  time 
before  that  is  put  into  the  tray  representing  borrowers  with  books 
out ;  but  unless  there  are  several  people  waiting  to  be  served,  it 
is  better  to  do  all  the  charging  at  once. 

This  means  that  "  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  "  was  taken  out  by  No. 
462  on  December  5. 

There  should  be  a  second  tray  or  box,  for  the  book-cards  rep- 
resenting books  out.  When  a  card  is  removed  from  the  first 
tray  to  this,  bearing  the  proper  charge,  it  should  be  filed  away  by 
date,  at  the  end  of  the  day,  the  days  being  separated  by  thin 
blocks  of  wood  bearing  the  number  of  the  day  in  the  upper  left- 
hand  corner  in  very  black  ink  or  paint,  and  in  large  figures  ;  thus  : 


Fig.  i 8. 

Behind  the  block  marked  5  (which  should  be  taller  than  the 
card,  when  both  are  standing  upright),  will  then  be  placed  the 
book-cards  of  all  books  taken  out  on  the  5th,  arranged  in  the 
order  of  the  call-numbers. 

One  division  of  the  tray  should  be  used  for  the  cards  of  books 


40  HINTS    TO    SMAIvIv    LIBRARIES. 

out  over  time.  This  division  can  be  subdivided  into  three  or 
four  parts,  one  for  books  overdue  one  week  or  less,  the  next  for 
books  overdue  between  one  and  two  weeks,  etc. 

When  John  Smith  comes  in  to  bring  his  book  back,  the  book- 
card  is  first  found  by  means  of  the  date,  which  appears  on  the 
dating-slip.  The  charge  is  then  canceled,  either  by  stamping  or 
marking  the  date  of  return  over  the  other  date,  or  by  punching 
it  with  a  small  punch.  From  the  book-card  John  Smith's  num- 
ber can  be  found,  and  the  same  canceling  process  gone  through 
with  on  his  card.  If  he  does  not  wish  to  take  out  another  book, 
the  book-card  and  book  can  be  laid  aside,  in  case  of  a  rush,  and 
his  card  looked  up  later.  In  that  case,  his  card  would  go  back 
into  the  first  tray  again,  in  alphabetical  order.  If  he  wishes 
another  book,  the  same  process  is  gone  through  as  before.  This 
system  answers  all  possible  questions  :  Is  813-826  on  the  shelves  ? 
No.  Where  is  it  ?  John  Smith  has  it.  How  long  has  it  been 
out?  Since  December  5.  Has  John  Smith  a  book  ?  Yes.  What 
book?  No.  813-826.  How  long  has  he  had  it  ?  Since  Decem- 
ber 5.  It  prevents  the  annoyance  of  lost  cards,  as  the  borrower 
has  nothing  to  do  with  his  card.  It  prevents  also  all  tampering 
with  the  dates  on  the  card.  By  keeping  the  book-cards  at  the 
desk  the  librarian  can  tell  if  a  book  is  in  without  going  to  the 
shelves. 

In  the  other  system  to  be  described,  the  borrower  keeps  his 
own  card,  and  presents  it  when  he  comes  for  a  book  or  brings  one 
back.  This  relieves  the  library  of  the  responsibility  of  identify- 
ing the  borrower,  as  the  presentation  of  the  card  is  considered 
proof  sufficient  of  his  right  to  draw  a  book.  In  the  village  or 
small  town  library  identification  would  be  possible  without  a  card, 
the  constituency  being  so  small.  The  date  is  then  taken  either 
from  the  dating  slip  or  his  card,  the  latter  is  stamped  and  given 
back  to  him,  and  the  book-card  can  be  picked  out  at  leisure  by 
means  of  the  book  and  its  dating-slip.  There  might  be  a  com- 
promise between  these  systems,  by  which  the  library  should 
retain  a  borrower's  card  when  he  has  no  book  out,  keeping  such 
cards  in  alphabetical  order,  and  finding  them  when  needed.  By 


THE    CHARGING    SYSTEM. 


41 


invariably  retaining  the  card  in  this  way,  an  approximate  esti- 
mate could  be  made  of  the  number  of  cards  in  use  as  compared 
with  the  number  of  cards  given  to  applicants.  Many  large  libra- 
ries keep  the  book-card  in  a  pocket  in  the  book,  when  the  book  is 
on  the  shelves.  The  pocket  serves  to  hold  the  borrower's  card 
when  the  book  is  out.  This  system  necessitates  a  visit  to  the 
shelves  to  see  if  the  book  is  in  when  called  for,  and  this  fact,  with 
the  work  of  pasting  in  pockets  and  putting  cards  in  and  taking 
them  out,  makes  the  custom  unadvisable  for  the  small  library. 

There  are  other  systems  in  which  the  account  is  kept  by 
means  of  the  borrower's  card  only,  in  which  case  it  is  only  as  the 
entire  charging-system  is  overhauled  that  an  answer  can  be  found 
to  the  question,  "Where  is  book  813-826  ?  "  As  this  is  the  ques- 
tion most  frequently  asked,  no  system  can  be  called  satisfactory 
which  does  not  answer  it  easily. 


CHAPTER  8. 


READING-ROOM     AND    REFERENCE-ROOM    WORK. 


you  have  neither  reading-room  nor  reference-room, 
but  it  does  not  follow  that  you  have  none  of  the  work  per- 
taining  to  such  rooms,  for  no  library  can  escape  something 

it. 

Everything  is  reading-room  work  that  pertains  to  the  handling 
of  periodicals,  either  magazines  or  papers.  Perhaps  you  keep 
them  behind  the  desk  and  hand  them  out  as  people  ask  for  them, 
and  your  only  reading-room  may  be  the  space  in  front  of  your 
desk.  It  is  a  pity  if  this  is  so,  for  one  of  the  chief  attractions  of 
a  reading-room  is  the  freedom  to  handle  the  papers  and  maga- 
zines without  the  intervention  of  an  assistant.  If  every  number 
has  to  be  receipted  for,  so  much  less  must  be  the  attraction  of  the 
room.  If  you  can  possibly  arrange  it,  have  the  case  or  rack 
placed  where  people  can  help  themselves  to  the  current  numbers, 
and  let  them  do  it  without  requiring  any  writing.  It  is  better  to 


Atlantic  Monthly.     (Agent's  name  and  price.) 
Jan.    Feb.  Mar.  Apr.   May   June  July   Aug.  Sept.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec. 

1890 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

1891 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 
X 

1892 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

1893 

X 

X 

X 

Fig.  19. 


READING-ROOM    WORK. 


43 


let  statistics  go,  sometimes,  when  they  hinder  the  good  work  the 
library  might  be  doing. 

Keep  a  little  card-catalogue  of  your  periodicals,  with  the  card 
ruled  into  twelve  divisions  representing  months.  (See  Fig.  19.) 

When  your  copy  is  received,  check  it  in  the  square  represent- 
ing the  month  and  year.  If  the  magazine  is  quarterly,  the  same 
card  may  be  used,  the  checks  being  three  months  apart. 

If  it  is  a  weekly,  put  the  necessary  four  or  five  checks  in  each 
square,  thus  ;  giving  the  day  of  the  month  on  which  the  magazine 
was  received,  or  the  number  of  the  magazine  itself,  thus  : 


Fig.  20  (enlarged.) 


Fig.  21  (enlarged.) 


Keep  your  cards  in  a  box,  in  alphabetical  order,  and  when 
one  side  of  a  card  is  filled,  turn  it  over  and  use  the  other  side. 
For  dailies  it  would  be  easier  to  keep  account  of  the  numbers 
which  do  not  come  than  of  the  300  and  odd  numbers  which  do, 
and  report  the  lapse  at  once  to  the  dealer. 

The  covers  of  magazines  are  apt  to  get  very  much  soiled  and 
worn  while  in  the  reading-room  and  to  be  unfit  for  binding  ;  but 
the  same  temporary  binding  can  be  given  to  these  as  to  pamphlets 
or  paper-covered  books,  as  described  in  the  last  chapter.  If 
covered  in  this  way,  print  the  title  on  the  outside  in  very  large 
letters.  If  you  can  afford  ready-made  binders,  the  National,  the 
Springback  and  the  Triumph  are  good,  as  they  do  not  require 
holes  to  be  punched  in  the  magazine.  Have  posted  up  in  some 
conspicuous  place  a  list  of  the  periodicals  taken  by  the  library, 
also  a  list  of  the  bound  sets,  or  parts  of  sets,  with  the  volume- 
numbers  attached.  This  will  save  you  the  answering  of  a  great 
many  questions.  Some  libraries  circulate  the  single  numbers  of 
periodicals,  and  it  is  certainly  a  way  of  making  their  reading- 
matter  go  as  far  as  possible.  No  number  should  circulate,  how- 
ever, until  the  two  succeeding  ones  have  come,  as  many  readers, 


44  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

in  following  a  serial,  call  for  the  current  number  and  the  previous 
one,  in  order  to  get  the  thread  of  the  story  afresh. 

There  are  certain  books  that  you  wish  always  to  have  on  hand 
for  consultation,  not  for  reading.  Such  books  are  reference 
books,  and  they,  like  the  periodicals,  should  be  where  people  can 
get  at  them  without  asking  for  them  or  signing  a  receipt.  They 
are  generally  large  or  heavy  books,  and  not  apt  to  be  carried  off. 
If  you  cannot  have  a  real  reference-room,  see  if  you  can  have  a 
reference-corner  in  the  front  of  the  library,  where  every  one  can 
see  the  books.  Place  here  your  dictionaries,  gazetteers,  atlases, 
biographical  dictionaries,  encyclopaedias,  concordances,  etc.,  and 
all  indexes  to  magazines.  When  you  have  a  spare  moment,  take 
up  these  works,  one  by  one,  examine  them,  and  find  out  their 

vol.    page.       date. 


Escurial. 

Harper. 

86  :  531  :  Mar.,  93. 

Fig.  22. 

Slavery,  African. 

Harper. 

86  :  613  :  Mar.,  93. 

Fig.  23. 

intention  and  scope,  in  order  that  you  may  be  able  to  help  chil- 
dren and  young  people  or  persons  unaccustomed  to  the  use  of 
such  tools.  Take  special  pains  to  show  children  the  use  of 
indexes  and,  indeed,  of  all  sorts  of  reference-books, — they  will 
soon  be  familiar  with  them  and  handle  them  like  lifelong  students. 
Gain  the  interest  of  teachers  in  this  sort  of  work  and  urge  them 
to  bring  their  classes  and  make  a  study  of  your  reference-books. 
Be  as  helpful  as  you  can  in  making  out  courses  of  reading  or 
study  for  the  village  clubs,  contributing  for  their  use  lists  of 
the  material  in  the  library  on  the  subject  or  subjects  selected. 


READING-ROOM  WORK. 


45 


If  you  cannot  afford  to  subscribe  for  the  various  indexes  pub- 
lished, try  to  find  time  to  make  a  little  slip-index  of  your  own, 
arranged  by  subjects,  and  referring  to  articles  in  books,  magazines 
or  papers,  that  are  likely  to  be  of  use.  Make  this  as  brief  as 
possible.  (See  Figs.  22  and  23.} 

If  nothing  or  not  enough  can  be  found  in  your  slip-index,  the 
card-catalogue,  or  the  reference-books,  on  a  given  subject,  think 
what  class  it  would  be  likely  to  come  under,  and  let  your  student 
examine  the  books  in  that  class  likely  to  contain  the  information 
he  is  in  search  of,  either  admitting  him  to  the  shelves  or  taking 
the  books  to  the  desk.  In  short,  do  everything  you  can  think  of 
to  make  the  library  the  centre  of  intellectual  life  in  the  town. 


CHAPTER  9. 

SELECTING   AND   ORDERING   BOOKS. 

3 OMB  general  rules  : 
Of  standard  authors,  get  well-bound  and  well-printed 
editions,  and  save  rebinding  and  readers'  eyes. 
Of  books  in  science,  useful  arts,  social  and  political 
science  and  economy,  get  the  latest  editions. 

Of  classics,  get  some  full  edition,  such  as  Bohn's. 

Of  novels  (by  authors  not  called  standard) ,  get  such  an  edi- 
tion as  the  Tauchnitz. 

Of  translations  from  the  French  and  German  get  only  the 
very  best,  such  as  Wormeley's  Balzac,  or  Wist ar's  translations 
from  the  German,  and  buy  on  approval  in  order  that  you  may 
return  them  if  found  unsuitable.  Certain  publishers,  such  as 
Jenkins  in  New  York,  Ginn  of  Boston,  and  Heath  of  Chicago, 
who  make  a  specialty  of  translations  and  reprints  of  Continental 
works,  state  that  their  lists  contain  no  objectionable  works,  as 
the  books  are  intended  for  young  people. 

Do  not  buy  French  or  German  works  in  the  original,  if  there 
are  good  translations,  unless  you  have  plenty  of  money.  They 
are  expensive,  and  in  a  small  place  there  would  probably  not  be 
much  call  for  them. 

If  you  have  the  original  purchase  of  books  to  make,  divide 
your  stock  that  is  to  be,  into  ten  classes,  and  make  out  your  list 
of  books  by  classes.  Take  the  catalogue  of  the  Model  library 
of  5000  vol.,  prepared  by  the  American  library  Association, 
published  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Education  in  1893,  and 


SELECTING  AND  ORDERING  BOOKS.  47 

by  it  distributed  free  to  libraries ;  go  through  its  list  of  fiction 
and  check  off  on  your  list  the  works  of  standard  novelists ;  do 
the  same  for  children's  stories.  Follow  this  plan  with  regard  to 
other  classes,  leaving  out  all  works  of  which  you  feel  doubtful. 

When  your  lists  are  made,  take  each  class  to  some  one  in  the 
town  or  village  whose  reading  or  study  has  been  in  that  particu- 
lar line,  and  submit  the  list  Tor  alterations  and  additions.  Do 
not  feel  bound  to  accept  all  the  additions,  if  you  think  you 
already  have  enough  books  or  as  many  as  you  can  afford,  nor 
the  alterations,  if  you  have  reason  to  think  your  reviser  preju- 
diced. 

In  the  A.  I,.  A.  catalogue  you  will  find  publishers'  prices 
given.  Having  noted  these  opposite  each  title,  for  your  own 
use,  submit  a  copy  of  the  list  to  several  large  bookdealers,  choosing 
those  nearest  your  town  in  order  to  lessen  freight  charges  and 
insure  the  early  receipt  of  books,  and  ask  for  their  discount. 

Desirable  out-of-print  books,  the  small  library  will  usually 
have  to  do  without,  on  account  of  the  expense  of  keeping  an 
agent  on  the  lookout  for  them.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  a  list 
of  such  out-of-print  books  as  are  wanted,  and  to  take  it  to  the 
nearest  city  when  you  go,  with  a  view  to  picking  up  some  of  the 
books  in  the  second-hand  shops ;  or  to  intrust  this  duty  to  the 
minister  or  the  school  principal,  or  some  such  person,  giving  him 
a  limit  in  price.  If  you  have  a  board  of  directors  or  trustees, 
some  one  of  them  might  occasionally  do  this. 

After  your  first  stock  is  bought,  your  next  care  must  be  to 
prevent  duplicates,  for  no  library  has  money  to  spare  for  more 
copies  of  a  book  than  are  needed. 

If  your  card-catalogue  is  kept  strictly  up  to  date,  there  is 
very  little  danger  of  duplicates,  as  before  sending  an  order  every 
item  should  be  compared  with  this  record,  and  also  with  any  out- 
standing orders.  But  it  often  happens  that  in  the  press  of  work 
the  catalogue  is  not  up  to  date.  A  list  on  slips  of  those  books  on 
hand  which  have  not  yet  been  catalogued  then  becomes  neces- 
sary. It  is  better  to  keep  this  list  on  slips  in  order  to  insert  fresh 
slips  in  their  proper  alphabetical  order. 


48  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

The  order-list,  if  kept  on  slips,  may  serve  for  this  list  also,  for 
as  soon  as  a  book  is  received  and  checked  on  the  bill,  the  fact 
with  date  and  price  can  be  noted  on  the  order-slip,  and  the  slip 
transferred  to  another  box  of  slips  representing  books  received  but 
not  yet  catalogued. 

These  order-slips  should  not  take  much  time  to  make,  having 
only  the  author1  s  surname,  brief  title,  volume  number  or  number  of 
volumes,  abbreviated  note  of  place,  publisher,  year,  if  other  than  the 
current  year,  publisher's  price,  if  known,  and  name  of  dealer.  It 
may  even  answer  its  main  purpose  by  having  a  record  only  of  the 
items  here  italicised.  By  consulting  the  order-list,  "  received  "- 
list,  and  catalogue,  you  make  the  chance  of  ordering  a  duplicate 
infinitely  small. 

Of  course,  in  a  very  small  library,  the  librarian  knows  her 
books  pretty  well  and  can  better  depend  on  her  memory  of  its 
contents  than  in  a  larger  one  ;  but  buying  a  duplicate  means  not 
buying  some  other  book  that  you  want,  and  it  is  better  to  take 
some  certain  means  of  avoiding  the  former  purchase. 

For  selection  of  current  books,  two  or  three  of  the  critical  and 
literary  periodicals  taken  in  the  reading-room  may  be  used  as 
guides ;  such,  for  instance,  as  the  Critic,  of  New  York,  the  Liter- 
ary World,  of  Boston,  and  the  Dial,  of  Chicago.  Booksellers' 
publications  are  not  safe  to  buy  from  without  further  investiga- 
tion, as  their  reviews  are  naturally  nothing  if  not  favorable. 


CHAPTER    10. 
ROOMS    AND     FIXTURES. 

IT  is  not  often  that  the  librarian  has  a  chance  to  say  how  he 
would  like  his  library  planned  and  fitted  up,  though  it  is 
oftener  the  case  now  than  formerly.  library  Boards  would 
think  it  a  very  eccentric  proceeding  to  order  a  suit  of  clothes 
or  a  hat  for  the  librarian  without  consulting  him  ;  and  if  it  were 
done,  and  the  sleeves  came  only  to  his  elbows,  or  the  coat-tails 
dragged,  or  the  hat  brim  rested  on  his  shoulders,  they  would  at 
once  see  what  foolishness  they  had  been  guilty  of,  and  say  to  one 
another,  ' '  Why  on  earth  didn'  t  we  consult  him  and  take  his 
measure?  He  can't  see  anything  with  that  hat  on,  and  he'll  be 
forever  stepping  on  that  coat.  He  was  the  one  to  wear  it ;  he 
knows  what  he  needs,  and  we  ought  to  have  asked  him."  But 
they  seem  not  to  see  the  similarity  of  such  a  course  to  that  of 
building  the  librarian  a  workshop  without  asking  his  opinion 
about  it.  They  give  him  little  high  windows  that  don't  let  in 
any  light,  and  they  build  him  shelves  that  he  has  to  climb  up  to 
on  a  ladder,  and  they  arrange  the  spaces  of  the  library  symmetri- 
cally, but  where  they  can  be  of  no  value  in  the  case  of  growth 
and  crowding.  Then  they  go  outside,  and  look  at  it  and  say,  c '  Isn't 
it  picturesque  ?  Looks  like  the  Middle  Ages,  doesn't  it  ?"  And  in 
their  secret  hearts,  some  of  them  would  like  a  drawbridge  and  a 
moat.  And  inside,  the  poor  librarian  is  carrying  a  lantern  about  to 
see  the  top  and  bottom  shelves,  and  wondering  where  he  is  going  to 
put  the  next  new  book,  and  risking  his  neck  ten  or  twelve  feet 
from  the  ground  to  get  a  ' '  Commentary  on  Job ' '  that  some  one 


50  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

without  any  sense  of  the  ridiculous  happens  to  want,  and  trying 
to  hide  his  unsightly  pastepots  and  mucilage  bottles  behind  a 
screen  for  want  of  a  work-room.  But  perhaps  the  librarian  is  as 
new  at  the  work  as  the  trustees,  and  could  not  give  an  opinion, 
if  asked.  In  that  case,  a  collection  of  the  printed  matter  on  library 
architecture  should  be  carefully  studied  by  both  trustees  and 
librarian  before  any  plans  are  made. 

While  no  specific  plans  can  be  recommended  that  would  suit 
all  cases,  there  are  a  few  general  rules  that  meet  with  the  appro- 
val of  the  library  profession  as  a  whole.  These  were  summed  up 
at  the  twelfth  annual  meeting  of  the  American  library  Associa- 
tion in  1891,  by  Mr.  C.  C.  Soule  of  Boston,  the  whole  of  whose 
admirable  paper  may  be  found  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Associa- 
tion for  that  year : 

"  A  library  building  should  be  planned  for  library  work. 

' '  Every  library  building  should  be  planned  especially  for  the 
kind  of  work  to  be  done,  and  the  community  to  be  served. 

"The  interior  arrangement  ought  to  be  planned  before  the 
exterior  is  considered. 

' '  No  convenience  of  arrangement  should  ever  be  sacrificed  for 
mere  architectural  effect. 

' '  The  plan  should  be  adapted  to  probabilities  and  possibilities 
of  growth  and  development. 

' '  Simplicity  of  decoration  is  essential  in  the  work-rooms  and 
reading-rooms . 

' '  A  library  should  be  planned  with  a  view  to  economical 
administration. 

' '  The  rooms  for  public  use  should  be  so  arranged  as  to 
allow  complete  supervision  with  the  fewest  possible  attendants. 

' '  There  should  be  as  much  natural  light  as  possible  in  all 
parts  of  the  building. 

' '  Windows  should  extend  up  to  the  ceiling,  to  light  thoroughly 
the  upper  part  of  every  room. 

' '  Windows  in  a  book-room  should  be  placed  opposite  the  inter- 
vals between  book-cases. 

' '  The  arrangement  of  books  in  tiers  of  alcoves  and  galleries 


$* 

UN, 

- 
ROOMS    AND    FIXTURES.  51 

around  a  large  hall  ....  is  considered  entirely  obsolete. 
The  old  style  of  shelving  around  the  walls,  in  alcoves  and  in 
galleries,  has  been  generally  superseded  by  the  use  of  'floor- 
cases,' — that  is,  double  book-cases  arranged  in  parallel  lines 
across  the  floor  of  a  room 

"In  a  circulating  library  the  books  most  in  use  should  be 
shelved  in  floor-cases  close  to  the  delivery-desk. 

' '  In  the  floor-cases  of  a  reference  library  the  upper  shelves 
should  be  narrower  than  those  below,  with  a  ledge  about  three 
feet  from  the  floor. 

' '  Three  feet  between  floor-cases  is  ample  for  all  purposes  of 
administration. 

' '  No  shelf,  in  any  form  of  book-case,  should  be  higher  than  a 
person  of  moderate  height  can  reach  without  a  step-ladder. 

' '  Shelving  for  folios  and  quartos  should  be  provided  in  every 
book-room. 

"Straight  flights  are  preferable  to  circular  stairs.     .     .     ." 

It  might  be  added  that  shelves  should  not  be  more  than  two 
and  a  half  to  three  feet  long,  on  account  of  the  tendency  to  sag, 
and  that  a  height  of  ten  inches  and  depth  of  eight  inches  are 
good  dimensions  for  ordinary  shelves.  In  double-faced  cases,  as 
in  the  floor-cases  referred  to,  the  depth  of  shelf  would  be  six- 
teen inches  from  face  to  face.  In  most  libraries  shelves  are  made 
adjustable,  to  fit  varying  heights  of  books,  and  save  vertical 
space. 


CHAPTER    11. 

LIBRARY  TOOLS. 

Ch.  i.  Receiving  and  entering  books ;  requires 
Pencil  with  colored  lead  (for  checking). 
Small  blank-book  for  counter-charges. 
Table  of  the  1000  classification  heads. 
Entry-ledger  or  accessions-book. 

Ch.  2.  Book-numbers  and  cataloguing ;  requires 
Table  of  Cutter  book-numbers. 
Index  size  catalogue-cards. 
Catalogue  drawer,  or  box  with  rod  and  lid. 

Ch.  3.   Cataloguing;  requires 

Printed  dictionary  catalogue,  such  as  the  Model 
Library  catalogue  of  the  American  Library  Associa- 
tion, printed  by  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education,  catalogue 
of  the  Cleveland  Public  Library,  or  of  the  Nevins 
Library  of  Methuen,  Mass. ,  etc. 

Printed  classed  catalogue,  such  as  the  Model  Library 
catalogue  above-mentioned,  that  of  the  Milwaukee 
Public  Library,  or  of  the  Fitchburg  (Mass. )  Library. 

Hand-printed  labels  for  catalogue  drawers. 

Cataloguing  Rules  of  the  American  Library  Associa- 
tion. 

Cutter's  Cataloguing  Rules,  published  by  U.  S.  Bureau 
of  Education. 


LIBRARY    TOOLS.  53 

Ch.  4.   Shelf-list  and  inventory ;  requires 

Index  size  shelf-list  cards. 
Drawer  or  box  with  rod  and  lid,  for  shelf-list. 
Small  blank-book  for  recording  books  missing  at  time 
of  inventory. 

Ch.  5.  Mechanical  preparation  of  books  for  the  shelves,  and 
Binding;  requires 

Rubber  stamp  to  stamp  library  ownership. 

Labels. 

Mucilage. 

Paste. 

Tissue-paper. 

Cheesecloth. 

Book- muslin,  dark. 

Blank-book  for  recording  books  sent  to  binder. 

Slips  of  paper. 

Binding  ruler. 

Paper  for  covering  pamphlets. 

Ch.  6.   Registration ;  requires 

Register  for  borrowers,  with  pledge,  and  alphabetical 
index. 

Cards  for  borrowers. 

Small  book  for  keeping  trace  of  unpaid  fines  and  dam- 
ages, arranged  by  date  when  book  became  due  or 
loss  was  incurred. 

Ch.  7.   Charging-system ;  requires 

Pockets  (if  borrower  is  to  keep  his  card). 

Book-cards. 

Borrowers'  cards. 

Dating-slips. 

Dating-stamps. 


54  HINTS    TO    SMALL    LIBRARIES. 

Ch.  8.  Reading-room  and  reference-room  work ;  requires 
Cards  for  check-list  of  periodicals. 
Paper  for  binding  current    numbers  of  magazines, 

unless  ready-made  binders  are  used. 
Cardboard  for  lists. 
Slips  for  subject-index. 
Helps  in  reference-room  work. 

Boston  Public  library.    Bulletin,  giving  lists 

of  historical  novels. 
Philadelphia  Mercantile  Library.     Bulletin, 

giving  same,  and  various  reading-lists. 
San  Francisco  Mercantile   Library.     Classi- 
fied list  English  Prose  Fiction. 
Milwaukee   Public   Library.     Quarterly  In- 
dex, giving  reading-lists. 
Salem     Public    Library.      Bulletin,    giving 

reading-lists. 
Denver   Public    Library.      Bulletin,    giving 

reading-lists. 

Los  Angeles  Public  Library.     Bulletin,  giv- 
ing reading-lists. 

Griswold's  Descriptive  Lists  of  Novels. 
American   Library   Association's    Index    to 

General  Literature. 

Poole's  Index  to  Periodicals,   and  its  con- 
tinuations. 

Ch.  9.  Selecting  and  ordering-  books  ;  requires 
Slips  for  order-list  and  received-list. 
Critic  (weekly). 


Dial  (weekly). 
Literary  World  (weekly). 
f  Literary  News  (monthly) 
\  Publishers'   Weekly. 
Athenceum. 


*  For  American  books 
and  American  reprints 
of  English  books. 


}  For  English  books. 
Saturday  Review.  ) 

*l^ost  English,  books  that  would  be  wanted  by  a  small  library  would  be  reviewed  in 
American  critical  journals.       f  Booksellers'  publications. 


LIBRARY    TOOIvS.  56 

Catalogue  of  A.  I,.  A.  Model  Library  for  help  in  select- 
ing original  stock ;  also 

American  Catalogue  of  books  in  print  from  1876-90, 
4V,  with  annual  supplement. 

English  Catalogue,  1835-89,  4v,  with  annual  supple- 
ment. 

American  publications  of  any  one  year,  arranged  by 
publishers,  Trade  L,ist  Annual. 

English  publications  of  any  one  year,  arranged  by 
publishers,  Reference  Catalogue  of  Current  Liter- 
ature. 

"And  with  all  thy  getting,"  get  the  Library  Journal,  each 
year,  if  the  money  has  to  come  out  of  your  own  purse.  It  will  give 
you  more  than  the  worth  of  the  money,  in  courage,  enthusiasm, 
ambition,  and  the  feeling  of  belonging  to  a  great  system,  which, 
says  Walter  Pater,  "has,  in  itself,  the  expanding  power  of  a 
great  experience." 


Addresses  of  firms  and  individuals  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  chapters  : 

c  Boston,  146  Franklin  St. 

Library  Bureau,  -I  New  York,  Stewart  Building,  Broadway. 
i.  Chicago,  215-221  Madison  St. 

C.  A.  Cutter,  care  Library  Journal,  28  Elm  St.,  New  York  City. 
P.  Van  Everen  &  Co.,  60  Ann  St.,  New  York  City. 

W.  R.  Jenkins'  Estate,  851-853  Sixth  Ave.,  New  York  City. 
Cinn  &  Co.,  7-13  Tremont  Place,  Boston. 

D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  86  Wabash  Ave.,  Chicago. 
Triumph  Binder  Co.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
National  Binder  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 

American  Catalogue,  ^  Office  of  Publishers'  Weekly \   28  Elm  St., 

Annual  English  Catalogue,       /     New  York. 
Library  Journal,  28  Elm  St.,  New  York. 


NICOLL    &    ROY    CO., 

PRINTERS, 
NEW    YORK. 


yc  lotos 


